Dagg (26) and his Crusaders team-mates are eyeing up the Highlanders in a crucial match in the final round of the Super 15 this Saturday.
Dagg will be fit to front the Highlanders but a patella tendon injury in his knee, which forced him out of two tests against the English last month, shows no signs of going away.
''The patella is always going to be sore and niggly for every game I play. But I've got to manage it and get through it. Pain is good for it but it is hardly ideal,'' he said.
''During the week I don't take anything for it. [I] manage it, ice it and before a game I'll take some Voltaren.
"The point is, you can't get any surgery for it. Maybe later in life, when I'm 60, but not at the moment.''
Dagg sitting out those two tests opened up the fullback position for Highlanders co-captain Ben Smith and Smith grabbed the opportunity with both hands, with a couple of stand-out efforts.
Dagg expected nothing less from Smith and he had to look at the bigger picture.
''Seeing what Bender [Smith] did, you never want to give him opportunities. But that is the way life goes.
''It is all up to me get out there and perform. It was tough [to withdraw from test team] but it was the right thing to do.
"I don't want to be playing when I'm not 100. It's not doing any good for me and the team.''
Dagg's Crusaders are coming off a stirring 21-13 victory over the Blues in Christchurch last weekend while the Highlanders had a disappointing 44-16 loss to the Waratahs in Sydney Dagg said the Crusaders will be studying how the Waratahs played against the Highlanders but all it may have done is motivate the southerners for this weekend's game.
''They are going to be hungry. Both teams are hungry to get the win and clinch the playoffs.
"We will be looking hard at how the Waratahs played their game and how they got so many opportunities for their big boys out wide. We will be doing the same.''
The Crusaders were reasonably happy with the victory over the Blues but there was still plenty to work on.
''We have to be confident going into this game and giving everything we we have got.
"We are still going through these things and ... getting our shape. Our game in the weekend we started pretty well but we just did not nail those one percenters across the line.''
Dagg has never won the Super 15.
The former Highlander was injured when the Crusaders made a run to the 2011 final and they have never got back to a final yet.
''I'm feeling really good. I'm confident of nailing my role and putting in a good performance.
''I want to win this competition. I've had a few goes. I'm sick of coming third or fourth and finishing a week early. But it is going to be tough and hard over the next couple of weeks.''
The Crusaders will be without All Black captain Richie McCaw for the game on Saturday.
He broke ribs in the test series against England but there was a chance he would be available for this weekend's game.
But he was scratched by Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder yesterday.
All Black lock Sam Whitelock may be a chance to start on Saturday after he missed the match against the Blues with a sore calf.
Former Highlanders pivot Colin Slade will start, despite coming off second-best on a tackle against Ma'a Nonu on Saturday night.
